iW Magazine Spring 2019 | Page 76

COMPLEMENTARY DESIGN While TAG Heuer retained much of the darkened skeleton dial seen on many versions of its already ground-breaking 02T Tourbillon collection when designing this latest version, the brand has also taken full advantage of the aesthetic possibilities offered by nanotechnology. Since the new hairspring’s carbon-composite material creates a miniature hexagonal pattern, TAG Heuer has chosen to mirror that design in the dial of the Carrera Calibre Heuer 02T Tourbillon Nanograph. The watchmaker has devised a multi-layer dial and movement combination that features tiny sandblasted hexagons on the movement plate, many of which are visible through an open-worked dial. The same pattern can also be seen on the rotor, which has been treated with black PVD and is visible through the sapphire caseback. But most visibly, the tourbillon’s bright neon- green bridge and smartly placed accents (around the case, on the chronograph pusher, column wheel, chronograph hand tips and strap stitching) set the watch apart aesthetically from its forebears while retaining its Carrera profile. Touches of SuperLuminova just under the bridge ensure that the tourbillon, complete with embedded nanotechnology, remains visible in darkness. Thankfully, TAG Heuer has added the technical advantages of nanotechnology to its well-priced 02T Tourbillon collection with only a modest premium. The new Carrera Calibre Heuer 02T Tourbillon Nanograph is set to be available this spring, priced at $25,500. 76 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | SPRING 2019